When choosing a Dream Event- I must carefully review all submissions sent to my sister site www.thepawningplanners.com and evaluate the needs and desires as well as asking if the couple HAS ANY objections to appearing on TV with The Pawning Planners. The Network has the final call on the events filmed not only for the Pilot but also subsequent shows. Couples chosen by me for events are made aware of this requirement PRIOR to any commitment by me or my Texas Twins Team and, the Williams Couple were no exception. They both agreed to the possibility of their event being filmed for my show.
This couple has children in the same elementary school as our darling tiny Texas Twins aka, The Little Pawners Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney.
Meeting them for the first time at a Starbucks on Camp Bowie for a Skype telephone conference, I was amazed how passionate Terry was about their car club! Showing Cindy and I photos of their friends show vehicles, this couple shared a love of low riders and, incredibly was the reason they became a couple.
Terry asked how and why I created a business to address the needs of of families, I explained because I’ve struggled through very tough times and reaching back to my community was of the outmost importance to me.
You see, I know the struggle of the lower to middle class consumer and because of this, I specifically designed two business to accommodate any family regardless of their income.
I blended my existing company, Texas Twins Events with Texas Twins Treasures to create The Pawning Planners in order to take trades for services and fund dream events by “flipping” furniture, antiques, jewelry, farm equipment, boats, cars, bicycles, and more after refurbishing the items.
Refurbishing is often a much more lengthy process with furniture as I need to strip, stain and reupholster items. “Flipping” requires an investment of my time and finances to recover the expense of the event and for this reason, “swaps or trades” for services are normally done at least 4-6 weeks prior to the event. Due to Lisa’s illness, I decided to go ahead and “foot the bill” up front and out of my own pocket for numerous items to pull this event together while my hilarious sidekick, Cindy Daniel is handcrafting headbands for not only our little Pawners but the Williams daughters too. Issues with the venue chosen by the couple were mixed by David Diaz and Nick Lee last week and my production company is hurriedly trying to secure a venue with electricity for Rudy Smedley and his Double Eagle Band and restrooms for the guests.
My vision and the importance of creating dream events from Fort Worth, Texas is unique in that without it help- many consumers would never enjoy the chance of a meaningful and emotional ceremony. Often, dream events are for families who have no money and I must be somewhat creative to recoup expenses by “flipping” items.
This couple contacted my twin sister, Cindy Daniel after seeing posts of previous wedding and events on my FB page, Texas Twins Events as well as timeline posts on our walls and asked if we could help them with a Renewal of Vows after 15 years together as a couple.
It is well known that I am contacted daily by various people needing my help. While I strive to do whatever I can to assist those contacting me, I am only one person and cannot fulfill the needs of everyone and often have had to turn to Gofundme when my household budget cannot sponsor an entire event and, I visit homes to find items to flip, swap, trade or refurbish and sell to cover the cost of the event.
Commitment, compassion, and a vision of uniting communities would drive me forward. I’m not on top of Google because I paid to get there- rather, I earned the position by personally writing three unique blogs specifically addressing the needs of the disappearing middle class.
A few weeks ago, my dear friend, Glenda Sloane Patterson died in her sleep while in Colorado. Not having insurance, the family asked if I could help by sharing their Gofundme campaign and we raised the money within a week of posting and requesting help to not only get her body back to Fort Worth but also to pay for her memorial service. I also made numerous funeral flowers to ensure her service was not only beautiful but elegant. However, without donations from my numerous social media network connections, pulling off the expenses associated with Glenda’s funeral from the gofundme account, I don’t know how her family could have afforded to bring her home and give her a proper memorial. After three days of sharing her families story, we had the funds! God Bless my friends on Linkedin, Google Plus, Twitter and FB for helping me find funding for my dear friend.
Do I spend a lot of time on things that touch my heart? Yes I do. For years I’ve donated my talents and energy by providing no cost funeral arrangements to area businesses for families who could not afford to have flowers as well as officiating the funeral at no cost when needed.
Terry and Lisa have been together for fifteen years and after a cancer diagnosis, Terry contacted my twin sister and happy go lucky sidekick, Cindy Daniel about my sponsoring an event. As usual, Cindy made a commitment prior to contacting me and after explaining a cancer diagnosis- I hopped on board to juggle my checkbook and my schedule to accommodate this Dream Event.
Because, I’m a cancer survivor myself and understand the copays, the surgeries and the treatments! I was off work from Chair King on a medical leave of absence for thyroid cancer when I was fired for not returning to work and, had my insurance cancelled for not only myself but also my husband and filed suit in Tarrant County Court against my employer. You see, paying $1250 a month cash for a Cobra Policy is no SMALL expense. We struggled with medical bills and now my loss of wages, so you see a cancer diagnosis touched me personally. PS- I won my lawsuit in Tarrant County Federal Court! That’s right ya all, for every other employee that was terminated and suffered cancelled insurance just like me, I fought an exhaustive battle by filing a pro se motion, collecting exhibits and EVEN DEFENDING myself from an accusation by my employers attorney, Ann Marie Finch of Practicing Law Without a License during this heated court battle from Fort Worth. A UPL Complaint is a criminal offense, and using your attorney to make such a preposterous allegation gives you a clearer understanding of how difficult and painful it was for me. I am a survivor, my journey has empowered me, inspired me and my accomplishments at “fighting back” will shock and amaze you at the resilience I possess.
Our dear friend and karate instructor, Rudy Smedley has donated his time and his talent along with his Double Eagle Band to provide music and entertainment for this dream event. Often, my community friends are as compassionate and passionate about helping others as I am and Rudy is no exception!
Don’t ask me why- ask yourself why not? I had no one to fight for me, lend a hand or offer their services. Everything in my life that challenged me I never allowed to discourage me.
When planning a dream event, it is essential that I carefully review the expenses and my budget prior to making a commitment and this event, #operationhappyday was no exception.
Lisa wanted a 50s theme wedding to honor her grandmother and we agreed at an Lake Park since sponsored events do not have a budget for paid venues.
Cindy and I visited the park with our Little Pawners, Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney last week for me to perform a wedding rehearsal which is an unusual addition (and expense) for a vow renewal. You see, it involves my traveling to meet with the bridal couple and go over key details of the procession and being a separate ceremony, it incurs a separate fee.
While I had a wedding gown in my inventory at Texas Twins Treasures, it was decided by Lisa that she had found the dress of her dreams so she would not be using my Michaelangelo from David’s Bridal that would require alteration as it is a size 8 and she is a size 4.
The Bride decided to get her own gown and, but she needed me to make all the floral arrangements for the bridesmaids, groomsmen and parents of the couple.
I then decided to find a baker for the wedding tiered cake as I’m well aware of timelines and special orders for wedding cakes in the area. Many families are shocked to learn that wedding cakes are often as expensive or even more expensive than the wedding dress itself! That’s right, the major expenses of a wedding are the venue, the dress and the cake with flowers following behind. You see wedding bouquets for the brides, the bridesmaids, the groom and the groomsmen are also a very expensive endeavor.
Carefully mapping out what it would cost me out of pocket for the tiny Texas Twins poodle skirts and matching tops, I called the couple and advised them that I was paying the expense of their two daughters hoop skirts and tops, along with our twins matching outfits to be flower girls for the wedding at a cost to me of over $300.00 All four girls will be flower girls at this event, schoolmates that share a common bond of banding together for the wedding this couple never had.
At this point, my expenses for real touch flowers to prepare one bridal bouquet, four bridesmaids bouquets, 6 boutenniers, 8 corsages, the wedding cake, clothing for all 4 flower girls, hiring Texas Twins Events photographers as well as developing the film and finding items to decorate the venue have gone far above my initial projected expense of a cake and a few photos with the wedding dress I already had in my inventory.
I’ve encouraged this couple to set up a gofundme account as I cannot put any more personal investment into this event. At this point well over $1200.00 and normally my personal income is spent on numerous charitable organizations not on ONE event. You see, this wedding season started out with several funerals and my concept was that families who could afford my services would help cover the families who could not and had nothing to trade, flip or swap. Terry and Lisa had several items to “flip” and we would need to pay a visit to their home in order to search for treasure.
For all inquiries and requests for events through Texas Twins Events/The Pawning Planners or myself, I must express that I cannot sponsor more than a handful of events each year as my budget does not allow it.
Reverend Wendy Wortham
Texas Twins Events
The Pawning Planners
I’m changing the wedding and events industry one family at a time from Fort Worth Texas and making dreams come true!
www.texastwinsevents.com
www.texastwinstv.com
www.travelsofthetexastwins.com
Two sets of twins in Texas committed to our families, our communities, our neighbors and our friends for together- we are one!
Comments by Wendy Wortham